Apple Finder of Lost Objects

Are you like me — do you have more electronic gadgets than you can keep track of? where is that wireless mouse? where is the BlueTooth headpiece for the phone? Where is the damn phone? where is my GPS etc etc etc. Apple engineers have been staying up nights worrying about reuniting lost Apple gadgets and their owners and have come up with a system for using BlueTooth to allow you to use your computer or iPhone to use Bluetooth to find Bluetooth devices (and according to the patent your keys, wallet, TV remote, garage door opener)- either by electronically figuring out where the object is (Apple suggests a number of means including; utilising directional or multiple bluetooth transmitters on your computer; by timing how long responses take; or by reducing down the signal strength to get an idea of the distance to the object), or by sending a signal to the gadget telling it to make its presence known (by beeping or flashing lights etc). Additionally, they suggesting BlueTooth dongles to your keys and other loseables and never losing them again… if Apple pulls this off I can see a Nobel Prize for Steve.

Small items get lost. These items, such as keys or remote controls, often are close by, but can be out of sight. The resulting search for such objects is tedious, annoying and sometimes unsuccessful if the objects are never found. Some devices have been designed to aid users in locating lost objects. Such systems traditionally transmit a radio frequency signal to a transceiver which reacts by broadcasting an audio or visual alarm.

(incidentally, where is your lost gadget? the answer is invariably down the back of the couch)

Patent:

Title: Location discovery using bluetooth
Inventor: Nicholas Kalayjian
Pat ID: 20080125040
A method and system for locating objects using a Bluetooth communications protocol is provided. A first device can be paired, using a Bluetooth protocol, with one or more second devices. In that case, the first device is referred to as the master device and one or more second devices are referred to as the slave devices. When prompted by a user, the master device can transmit a signal to one of the slave devices. The slave device can then take a predetermined action to attempt to guide a user to its location. For example, the slave device can transmit a return signal to the master device or emit auditory or visual alerts itself.

Traditional location discovery systems have several drawbacks. These systems commonly involve permanent base units, which broadcast a signal to the lost object. Such base units take up space and often offer no other functions. The transmitted signal, which is essentially an alert to trigger an alarm, is typically the only type of signal being broadcast. Often this signal is a one way signal to the lost device, which can emit a sound, flash a light, etc. to try and let the user know where the device is.

An example of such a system involves a base station and multiple portable receivers. When a user pushes a button on the base station, the corresponding receiver emits an audible alarm to notify the user of its location. In this type of system, the base station may need a separate circuit in order to generate and transmit a signal to each receiver.

These devices often require dedicated electronic hardware to transmit or receive an alert signal. This extra hardware can increase the cost, weight, size and power consumption of such devices. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved way to aid people in locating misplaced objects.

The distance between the devices can be calculated by comparing the amount of time delay between the transmission of the signal sent from the master device to the slave device and the reception of the return signal from the slave device. With a precise timing system, the master device can be capable of performing such measurements. Since the speed of the radio waves is known, the distance can be calculated using the time information. The average time it takes the slave device to respond after receiving a signal can also be used to compensate the time delay. Alternatively, the distance between the two devices can be calculated by switching the amount of power used to transmit signals and measuring the comparative strength of the received signals.

Once this distance is calculated, it can be displayed to the user through graphics on the master device. This information can also affect an auditory or visual signal emitted by the slave device. For example, a beeping alarm might change in pitch, rate of beeping, or volume as a user approaches a second device. In that instance, the beeping could get faster as the user gets closer to the missing device, or the sound could get louder as the user gets closer.

In still another embodiment, the slave device’s location can be determined and presented to the user through the master device. Calculating the slave device’s location can involve using multiple transmitters or receivers to triangulate the position of the missing device. In order to triangulate position, a system can determine the distances from a device to at least three other known locations. A Global Positioning System, for example, could be used to triangulate a device’s location in accordance with the principles of the present invention. It is further contemplated that systems using other RF signal types can triangulate a device’s location in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Once the slave device’s location has been determined, the information could then be transmitted to the master device and displayed to the user.